Lucien Downes, Jr., born and raised on St. Croix, along with two siblings, Lu-ann and Eugene, has creative parents — mother, Ann, does crafts while father, Lucien, Sr., does woodworking and string art.
“I guess I let art find Me,” he says, it was something that I liked when I was young, but it really ‘found’ me later in life and, surprisingly, turned into a full time career!
Mrs. Zuhara Bilal, my 8th grade Art teacher, was my inspiration. She saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself and tried to push me to follow my art, but I didn’t until nine years ago. The sad part is that she died from breast cancer before I could share with her the direction that my life was going.
I’m self taught with books and with the observation of the world around me as my teachers. I’ve developed several techniques, using resin, acrylic, fibers, raw pigments, plexi-glass, and sometimes found objects, that I use separately or together to create my pieces.
I love painting sea scapes — the movement of clouds and ocean that is never the same from one minute to the next. I also enjoy painting abstracts with the freedom to let your mind run wild but staying disciplined enough to let my style come through.
Last year, I enjoyed working with Elizabeth Keith and a group of young apprentice artists to create the Frederiksted Mural. It was my first time doing something on that scale and I found it a great experience. This past summer, I was proud to represent the Virgin Islands in the Pan American Games “Water Colour” exhibit. It was amazing to see one of my paintings blown up on a sail, showcased with some of the top artists around the world!
I want my art to grow with me, taking me all over the world knowing full well that my heart and soul will always reside on St. Croix.”
Lucien’s work has been exhibited in Atlanta, GA at the International Airport, The Alliance Theater for the Arts, Georgia Perimeter College, Sam Flax Art & Design, and Atlanta Foundation for Public Space; on St. Croix at The Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts, Top Hat Gallery, and Marjorie Robbins Gallery. See his work in a show called “Mixed Metaphors” starting January 7 at Art @Top Hat Gallery, Company Street, Christiansted.
Lucien Downes
[email protected]
twitter: Lucien_art
www.luciendownesart.com
404-437-4759
